Sheet register device



hag: a *M 3 9 7 Dec. 1, 1931. E. CHESHIRE I 1,834,383

SHEET REGISTER DEVICE Filed June 29, 1925 4 gets$heet 1 Jzoe 5757 Dec. 1, 1931. E. CHESHIRE SHEET REGISTER DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29 1925 Dec. 1, 1931. c s R 1,834,383

SHEET REGISTER DEVICE Filed Jun'e;29, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet s NEW Dec. 1,1931. I E, c s R 1,834,383

SHEET REGISTER DEVICE Filed Jurie 29 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 1, 1931 SHEE'r 3.36151 3: DEVIQE iApplic ationfiledyJune 29,1925; Serial m.4o,259.:

,Myinventi on pertaiiis totsheet feeding and registering devices. In the. ordihary auto matic feeding of sheets to platen print ng 1 presses, it is usualto provide alseparate reg istering device which operates to bring the newly fed sheet to a final, correctly. registered positionon the platen,afterthe actual feeding operation has been performed; 7 Itfis an object of my invention t'of-overcome thenecessity of .such'a separate. device; and. I

attain this object by providing a mechanism t which will perform both the, operation of feeding tlie sheet to th'e'p'laten and the operation of bringing the sheetto' aj correc-t end 0' and side registered position.

I havedescribed in the following specification, and shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, one form of mech- -anism in which my invention may be em-v bodied. However, it; will bennderstood at. the invention may be embodied inl'otherform's,jand that changes may be. madein the form "which" Ihave described and shown, without exceeding the scope thereof, asde- M fined'in' the appendedclaims;

In the drawings: t

Figpl. IlSiL side elevation of themechanism, showing'the Vfeedgrippers in their M sheet receivingpo'siti on'y" r ing the feed grippersin the position they-assume when about to deliver a sheet. t'o'jthe platen, and register it thereon;, V

Fig..3is a rearview of the mechanism shown in the position of Fig. 1.;

F1g'5 1S a'slmllarlvlew-to Flgi u i -9 5; 50. Thisj'slotis curved upon the arc of a,

ing the parts in the position of Fig. 2;". i

line marked-6 in Fig. 2; 1 l

Fig. 7. is a sectionon the line 7-7 6,'. still further enlarged; and

9f: Fig,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section-- on-=.,-the.1line'- 45 8- 8 Of-Fig. 3.

co-pending application Ser; No.- 732,443; filed Y W August 16,1924, for: sheet'feeding devices, but modified in construction s0 as "to obtain Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1; but show i 4 i an'enlarged phnrthpairts being front part 'near the topthe feed arm'48 is V p v Hr i a V t 13 an enlargedise'ctwn ake On e the pin' which connects the left-hand: crank.

. nected one end of l'k 53'. Th th s d The feed mechanism: herein disl'osed iisof' m e 0 er en the samebroad type "as that described inlmyeffectsa corresponding movement of the feed the desired result of-performing the registering as well as thefeeding function 7 Referring now to the drawings themaln frame of the machine comprisesa left-hand a side casting 2O andfa right-hand side casting. 55:

21,.connected" together so as toform-a solid framework for the support off the mecha, nismand secured to the front horns. of l a Gordon press in the mannenfully describedmy copending application above referred o. o i '7 V "Located between the side castings 20 and" 21 i s ian automatically elevated stock table 31 ,v upon which placed the pil'e of stock to be "fed,. the front of the pile engaging against afront plate 25.. The top sheetsare separated from the pile; and raised, one by one; into a position accessible for; feeding, by means of pneumatic-separator feet 41 se cured to avvertically' reciprocable,separator bares; Ateach cycle of the machine the; separat'orbar 33'd'escendsato bringtheseparw tor feetflinto contact with the front. edge of Y tliehtop, sheet 'of the: pile. Suctionbeing thereupon applied,.the top;sheet becomes ,at-

tached'to the separator feet 41 and is'carrie d:

up theflatter when the separator bar 33 rises again; thereby being broughhihto a position-v where its front edger'can readily-be the ends of which I extends outwardlyof the left-handsi'de casting20 and. has secured to e l wer end? of a fed-armiisr At its formed with"a]boss,49 in which is cut. a slot circle; the center of which is onithe-axis of arm dwith' the bed'e,in the position'which said pin assumes when the bed is in impres sion position-Q Secured in the slot. 50. by'a nut51 isa pin 52,.to which is-rockably cons 9:

offthe link "is: connected with the press bed} in' the manner fully describedii'n my co-pending application above. referred to; this construction; the to and. fro rocking ofthe bed arm 48, the latter swinging rearwardly away from the stock pile as the bed rocks rearwardly away from its impression position, and swinging forwardly towards the stock pile as the bed rocks forward to its impression position.

The feed arm 48 is formed at its top end with an elongated bearing 57 in which is rockably and slidably mounted a gripperbar 58, the latter being rectangular incrosssection except for the part which enters the bearing 57. The feed grippers 59, two of" which are provided, are mounted on the grip; per bar 58. Each gripper is formed with a channel-shaped central portion 60 adapted to fit on the square portion of the gripper bar 58, and to be secured against removal therefrom by a plate 61 attached to the bottom of such central portion. A withdrawable spring-pressed pin 62 is mounted in the portion 60 and is adapted to 'enter one or another of a series of holes formed in the gripper bar 58, thereby to permit the gripper as a whole to be adjusted longitudinally of the gripper bar, to any desired position on the latter. Beyond the central portion 60, the

gripper is of channel-shape in cross-section, so as to provide a pair of downward flanges 63, and'is formed at its end with a cylindrical guide 64 for receiving the movable gripperjaw 65, which latter is in the form of a cylm: drical plunger adapted to close upon a fixed jaw 66 secured to the guide 64 so as to extend beneath the same. An actuating lever 67 is pivoted between the flanges 63 and is bowed at one end so as toeXtend over and beyond the central portion 60, at which end it is formed with a notch 68. At its opposite end, the actuating lever enters a recess 69 formed 1n the movable jaw 65, this recess being of such length as to permit lost motion between the jaw and the end of the lever. A leaf spring 67, carried by the gripper, presses downward upon the movable aw 65 with a pressure which may be regulated by manipulating an adjusting screw 67 During the cycle of the machine, by means which will be described below, the lever 67 is moved successively into three effective positions. In the first position, shown in Fig. 8, it presses upwardly on the top end of the recess 69, thereby raising the movable jaw 65.

In this position the gripper is open, ready to receive a sheet; In the second position, it presses downwardly on the bottom end of the recess 69, thereby forcing the movable aw 65 firmly down on a sheet interposed between it and the fixed jaw66, whereby the sheet is.

gripped positively. In the third'position, the movable jaw 65 is pressed by the action of the leaf spring 67 alone against the sheet interposed between it and the fixed jaw 66,

the end of the lever 67 being midway between the ends of the recess 69. In this last position, the sheet is gripped impositively,

revolubly mounted bushings 72 having square holes therein; Extending through the square holes of the bushings 72 in the arm 71 of the feed grippers -is="a-roclr-sha'ft 73 of square cross-section for a portion of its length. Upon this rock-shaft are mounted arms 74 having square holes therein, so that they rock with the shaft. These arms 74 are located between the armsTl of the feed grippers, and engage at their ends in the notches68 of the jawactuating. levers 67 so that the rocking of the shaft 7 3 willeffect the several movements of the levers 67. Both the arms 74 and the bushings 72 of the vfeed-grippers can slide length wise of the rock shaft 73, which enables the feed-grippers, carrying with them the arms 4, to be adjusted lengthwise of the gripper bar 58 as units. v

Near its end adjacent the feed arm 48, the rock-shaft 73 has loosely mounted on it an arm 75, theopposite end of which is feathered upon an extension 76, of reduced diameter, formed on the end of the gripper bar 58. To retain the-arm 7 5 on the shaft-extension 7 6,

a block 7 7 (Figure 6), is secured upon the feed arm 48 and formed with a shoulder which engages a corresponding shoulder on the arm 75.

A link? 8 is connectedto the rock-shaft 73 and extends downward lengthwise of the feed arm 4:8. At its lower end, this link enters a guideway on the feed arm and is provided with a cam-roll 79 The cam-roll travelsin a cam -slot formed in afloating cam 80 pivoted at 81 to the left-hand side casting 20. As the feed arnr swings to and fro the link 78 causes the feed-grippers 59 and the gripper bar 58 to rock in such a manner that the fixed aws'66' of the feed grippers will follow a certain" path with respect to the press platen g. The front part of the cam-slot is so shaped that-the jaws'6'6, during the last part of theirforward movement toward the stock pile and the first part of their return movement, will follow a path in' which they clear the path followed by the front edge of the platen g as the latter rocks to and from its A shaft '84 extendsacross the machine and as to cause a drop of the cam-arm 87'when the feed-arm 48 and feed grippers 59 reach the end of their feeding movement. When this drop of the cam-arm 87 takes place, the shaft 84 rocks, and its arm 85, through the link-86, effects a depression of the floating cam 80. This, through the link 7 8, causes a slight raising movement of the front ends ofthe feed-grippers, enabling the jaws 66 of the latter, in their return 'movement,'to clear the sheet just fed.

Secured to the end ofthe rock-shaft73 is an arm 88 to which is pivoted a link 89, the pivot being located substantially on the aXis of the feed-bar 58. The link'89 extends down beside the link 7 8 and is connected, by a pin 90 with an arm 97 pivoted to the feed arm 48. Upon the pin 90 is mounted a cam-roll-91, which, at one stage of the cycle of the machine, is adapted to engage beneath a camfiange 92 which extends inwardly from the floating canr80. The cam-flange 92 is so located that it will be engaged by, and remain in engagement with, the roll 91at .and for substantially the same time as the rear part 83 of the cam-slot is engaged by, and remains in engagement with the roll 7 9. 'A torsion spring 93 is connected between the arm and a collar 'secured on the rock shaft 73, and.

tends to rock the shaft 7 3 in a clockwise direction, i. e. in a direction in which the arms 74 and actuating levers 67 hold the gripper jaws 65firmly closed. 8

As the feed-arm 48 swings towards the platen g the cam roll 91 is not atfirst en-' gaged by anything; consequently the gripper jaws 65 are held firmlyclosed by the action of I the spring 93. l/Vhen however,near the center of the platen, the feed grippers come close to the platen and begin to move parallel therewith-which is the time the roll 7 9 enters upon the rear part 83 of its cam slot,- the roll 91 will engage beneath the cam-fiange 92, and will thereby bedepressed. This depression ofthe roll 91 and'link 89 causes the shaft 73 to rock, against the action of the spring 93, to a sufficient extent to raise the ends of the actuating levers 67 to a posltlon midway in the recesses'69 of the movable gripper jaws 65. *VVhen this occurs, the movable j aws65 will engage upon the fixed jaws (36 by pressure of the leaf springs 67 only, as has been described above.

Pivoted on the pin which carries the cam roll 91, and resting against a lug 94 on the link 89, is a finger 95 connected by a ten sion spring 96with alug formedon the hub of the arm 97. Formed on .the upper part of the floating cam 80, towards the'front of the latter, is a'camlug 98, the lower face of which is inclined downwardly'and forwardly. When the feed-arm 48 swings. forward to a position where the feed-gripper aws are, approaching the sheet held suspendedfromthe separator feet 41, the finger 95, the top of which is inclinedfengages beneath the cam-lug 98 and is forced downward, carrying with it the link 89. By thismeansthe feed-gripper jaws are fully opened. 'Just as the feed arm completes its forward move-v ment, the finger 95 passes beyond the camlug 98, whereupon the feed gripper jaws-close under the action of the spring 93, thusseizing the sheet. 1 v

Formed in the feed arm 48 immediately below the gripper bar 58,'is a passage for slidably receiving a plunger 99 from which a pin 100 extends upwardly and enters .a slot 101 formed in the gripper bar 58 (Figs. 6 and 7 The under face, of the bearing 57 is flattened, and has pivoted thereto, at 102, a cam lever 103 which is connected by a link104 with the plunger 99, and is provided on its under side with a cam roll 105. The left-,. hand side casting 20 is formed with arear- Ward extension having at its end a guideway 106 formed with a longitudinal slot 10.7. In this guideway a block 108 is a djustablyi mounted by means of a, bolt-.109passing through the slot 107. The block 108 is formed with a cam-slot 110 for receiving a cam-roll at the end of the rearward feeding swing of the feed-arm 48. The cam-slot is flared. outwardly at its front end, to provide an easy entrance for theroll, and is inclined to the left at its rear end. When the roll 10 5 enters the rear part of the cam-slot, there-' fore, it will be forced to the left, and this;

through the cam-lever 103, link 104, plunger 99 and pin 100, will cause the gripper bar 58 has to slide lengthwise in the bearing 57a short distance totheleft. It is this slidingmovement of the gripper bar which effects the side-registering of the sheet on the platen g;

If it is desired to register to the'right instead of the left, it is merely necessary to re-. f move the bloc k 108 and replace'it'the other.

side up. By loosening the bolt 109,,the position of the block 108 can be adjusted to accord with'the adj ustmentof the throw of the feed arm by means of the pin 52 in the curved slot50.

The operationof the feeding idevicede scribed here is as follows: Supposing that,so

far as presswork is concerned, the'press has been made ready for printing, the end register gage pins 72., h and the side-register pin twill have been placed in'the proper positions on the platen. To adjust the-throwof the feed-arm 48 (supposing sheets of a dif'-' ferent length have been previously fed) the press is turned over until the bed 6 is in its rear-most, open position, with the pins of the crank-arms (Z on their dead centers. The nut 51 is then loosened and the feed arm 48 moved forward or back (the pin 52 sliding'in the curved slot 50) until the jaws 66 of the feed grippers 59 are a very slight distance to the rear of the line which the edge of the paper will occupy when it is in en agement with the end-register pins 71. (Fig. 5). The block 108 is then adjusted so that the roll 105 willnearly reach the extremity of its slot 110 when the feed arm completes its rearward movement. The pile of stock is placed in the proper position with respect to the location of the side register pin 2' on the platen, and the feed grippers 59 and separator feet 1-1 are appropriately adjusted on their bars 58 and 33, with respect to each other and with respect to the end-register pins h, h on the platen. The machine can then be set in motion.

As the feed arm 48 swings forward towards the pile after the roll 91 has left the camflange 92, the jaws of the feed grippers are closed; but as soon as the finger 95 strikes the cam-lug 98 they will begin to open. By this time the separator feet ll will have raised a sheet into position to be embraced by the jaws of the feed-grippers. As the feed-arm completes its forward movement, the finger 95 passes beyond the cam-lug 98 and the jaws of the feed-grippers snap shut upon the sheet. A valve is then actuated to cut-off the suction and release the sheet from the separator feet 41. Thereupon. the feed arm 48 begins to swing rearward, the feed grippers carrying with them the sheet towards the platen g, which latter is rocking towards its open position. During the first part of this rearward movement the ends of the feed grippers are considerably above the platen, to allow room for the front edge of the latter to rock past. When, however, the cam-roll 79 reaches the front end of the rear part 83 of the cam-slot, the jaws 66 of the feed grippers will have come into close proximity with the platen, and thereafter will travel parallel therewith. At the same time, the roll 91 will have come into engagement beneath the cam-flange 92, whereby the gripper aws (35 will be relieved from the action of the spring 93 and wi 1 en gage upon the sheet by the action of the leaf springs 67 alone, thereby retaining the sheet impositively. Just before the feed arm concludes its rearward movement, the front edge of the sheet strikes the end-register pins h, h. The feed grippers then proceed onward, slipping off the impositively held sheet; but before they leave the sheet they move laterally of the platen, due to the engagement of the roll 105 in the cam-slot 110 of the block 108, thereby moving the sheet into engagement with the side register pin 2". After this, the feed arm moves just the slight distance further necessary to carry the feed gripper jaws clear of the sheet. As the rearward move ment of the feed arm 48 is thus completed, the cam causes the shaft 84 to rock slightly, whereby the link 86 swings the floating cam 80 slightly downward. This,through the cam-roll 79 and link 7 8, causes an upward tilting of the ends of the feed-grippers, allowing them to clear the newly-fed sheet in their return movement.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sheet register apparatus for platen presses comprising a device for holdin a sheet impositively, means for moving said device forwardly across the platen to feed a sheet to the latter, and means for moving said device laterally to register the sheet sidewise.

2. A sheet register apparatus for platen presses comprising a device for holding a sheet impo-sitively, means for moving said device forwardly across the platen to feed a sheet to the latter, and means for moving said device laterally, substantially at the extremity of the forward movement, to register the sheet sidewise.

3. A sheet register apparatus for platen presses comprising a device for holding a sheet impositively, means for moving said device forwardly across the platen to feed a sheet to the latter, means for adjustin the extent of said forward movement, and means for moving said device laterally, substantially at the extremity of the forward movement, for registering the sheet sidewise.

4t. Thecombination with a platen press having an end stop and a side stop thereon, of a device for holding a sheet impositively, means for moving said device forward over the platen to feed a sheet to the latter and bring said sheet into engagement with said end stop, and means for moving said device laterally, substantially at the extremity of the forward movement, to register the sheet against said side stop.

5. The combination with a platen having a front stop and a side stop thereon, of a device for holding a sheet impositively, means for moving said device forwardly over the platen to deposit a sheet against said end stop, means for adjusting the extent of movement of said device to accord with the position of said'end stop, and means for moving said device laterally, substantially at the extremity of the forward movement, to register the device against said side stop.

6. The combination with a platen having a front stop and a side stop thereon, of means for holding a sheet impositively, means for moving said device forward over the platen, part of said forward movement being close to the platen, means for adjusting the extent of movement of said device,

and means for moving said device laterally, substantially at the extremity of the forward movement, to register the sheet sidewise.

7. The combination with a platen, of a moV- ably mounted support, means for moving said support forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the platen, a member extending transversely'with respect to the platen and movably associated with said support, a gripper carried by said member and constructed to hold a sheet impositively, and means for moving said member transversely of the platen.

8. The combination with a platen having an end stop and a side stop thereon, of a movably mounted support, a member movably associated with said support and disposed to extend transversely of the platen, a gripper carried by said member and constructed to hold a sheet impositively, means formoving said support forwardly with respect to the platen whereby said gripper deposits the sheet against said end stop, and means for moving said member transversely with respectto the platen, substantially at the extremity of the forward movement of said support, whereby said gripper registers the sheet against said side stop.

9. In a method of feeding sheets to a platen printing press, the steps which consist in transferring successive sheets from the stack to the platen by a predetermined path, imparting to such sheet a shifting movement transversely of its path of travel as it approaches the platen, and simultaneously releasing the sheet whereby it may be brought accurately to rest against both the forward and lateral stop pins on said platen.

10. In a method of feeding sheets to a platen printing press, the steps which consist in transferring successive sheets in an approximately arcuate path from the stack to the platen, imparting to such sheet a shifting movement transversely of its path of travel as it approaches the platen, and simultaneously releasing the sheet whereby it may be brought accurately to rest against both the forward and lateral stoppins on such platen.

EDWARD CHE SHIRE. 

